The Weekly Dispatch

By Sara Hebel & Scott Smallwood | Open Campus

A weekly newsletter about the role of higher education in society, exposing failures and examining solutions. Plus, updates as we build Open Campus.

Previous issues

Should Public Colleges Play the Merit-Aid Game?

#26 Feb 14, 2020

A Massive Gift Highlights Pell's Declining Purchasing Power

#25 Feb 7, 2020

In One City, a Microcosm of Our Higher Ed Issues

#24 Jan 31, 2020

#23

Jan 24, 2020

What Colleges Don't Get About the Public – This week's email reminds us of a song: I'm just a soul whose intentions are good | Oh Lord, please d
#22

Jan 17, 2020

Do Liberal Arts Colleges Pay Off? Is That Even the Right Question? – A new study contains good news about the value of a liberal-arts education. But is that best measured
#21

Jan 10, 2020

What the Future Holds for Higher Ed – The predictions are in for 2020 and beyond: College closures. Admissions scrutiny. Big Brother U.
#20

Jan 3, 2020

Higher Ed's Rickety Ladder – A new series examines colleges' role in social mobility. Instead of acting as a leveler, higher ed of
#19

Dec 13, 2019

The Personal Stakes of Student Debt – About one in six American adults has student debt. If you're one of them, we want to hear from you.
#18

Dec 6, 2019

Do Teens Think College Will Be Worth It? – A survey offers a view into what young people think about college. Plus, The Boston Globe is spending
#17

Nov 22, 2019

What College Graduates Earn — At Least at First – Get ready to dig into the most granular data we've ever had about what colleges graduates earn. Plus,
#16

Nov 15, 2019

Helping More Than Just Star Students – A university well-known for helping high-achieving minority students earn science, math, and engineer
#15

Nov 8, 2019

What Do College Athletes Really Think? – On their way out the door, here's what student-athletes say about their experience.
#14

Nov 1, 2019

Some College, No Degree. Now What? – About one in six U.S. adults went to college and left before earning a credential. New data details t
#13

Oct 25, 2019

To Fight Skepticism, Colleges Need To Engage with the Public – Here's one associate dean's pitch for how colleges can make a better case for themselves: Start talki
#12

Oct 18, 2019

Early Decision Isn’t As Common As You Might Think — But It Still Favors the Wealthy – We can debate whether or not early decision is now “the norm.” Either way, it still favors the wealth
#11

Oct 11, 2019

How Parent Borrowing Makes College Possible — at a Steep Price — for Black Families
#10

Oct 4, 2019

Under the Spell of Meritocracy – We take stock of the part of the Harvard admissions ruling that doesn't deal with race-based admissio
#9

Sep 27, 2019

The Poor Are Getting Poorer. Professors Can Stop Making It Worse. – This chemistry professor believes everybody can get an A. First, faculty need to change their attitud
#8

Sep 20, 2019

This One University Enrolls More Pell Students Than the Whole Ivy League – How well are colleges moving people up social and economic ladders? And are we paying enough attentio
#7

Sep 13, 2019

The Surprisingly High Cost of Our Public Flagship Universities — At Least for Most Americans – Make $167,000 a year? Then you can afford your state's public flagship university. Otherwise ...

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